Follow Us on Google
By Maduka Nweke
In fulfilment of its earlier promise to remove the barriers narrowing the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Federal Government, yesterday, opened the road for use to motorists during the Yuletide season.
The Federal Ministry of Works, while removing the barriers yesterday, said the aim was to fasten vehicular traffic along the road. Motorists on traffic seeing the efforts noted that the removal would be a relief.
Supervising the re-opening around Opic, the Director, Federal Highways, South West region, Mr Adedamola Kuti, said the government earlier promised to re-open the highway to traffic on Thursday, but brought it forward to ease gridlock. He said because of the festive season, all obstructions on section one, which spans Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange, were removed.
“As part of our Ember Months programme, there was an announcement that all barriers at road construction sites will be removed by December 15, to allow for free movement this season. So, on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, we have already attained a level where we can allow those barriers to be removed.
“So, rather than waiting for Thursday, December 15, just as we did at the other section, from Old Toll Gate up till Otedola Bridge, which we opened to traffic last week, we have also completed this stretch up to the level where we can allow movement,” he said.
Kuti added that all construction would, also, be halted on section two of the project, which spans Sagamu Interchange to Ojoo in Ibadan on Thursday, to further boost movement ahead of the Yuletide. He said the contractors would return to site in January, to complete the project, adding that the Federal Ministry of Works was targeting delivery by the first quarter of 2023.
He said some unforeseen circumstances, including heavy rainfall, slowed down construction, hence, the new targeted delivery date in 2023. He added that the police and traffic regulatory agencies would take over the highway and thanked motorists for their patience during the period of construction.
